Voltage variable pulse delay monostable multivibrator

ABSTRACT

A monostable vibrator connected in a circuit, with a constant current source producing an output which is delayed from an input pulse in time depending upon a control voltage. Variation in the control voltage linearally adjusts the time spacing between the input and output pulses.

United States Patent Lundgreen Mar. 21', 1972 [54] VOLTAGE VARIABLE PULSE DELAY [56] References Cited MONOSTABLE MULTIVIBRATOR UNHED STATES PATENTS [72] Invent Michael Cedar Rapids 2 479 954 8/19 49 More ..328/55 Iowa 3,040,189 6/1962 Cramer ....328/207 X 73 Ass'ignee: Collins Radio Company, Cedar Rapids 3,l52,306 9/1964 Cooper et al. ....307/265 X Iowa 3,225,214 12/1965 Burley ....307/293 X 3,315,099 4/1967 Nishioka ..307/273 [22] Filed: May 25, 1967 3,341,788 9/1967 Nishioka ..307/293 X [21] 641313 Primary Examiner-Stanley T. Krawczewicz Att0rney-Warren H. Kintzinger [52] US. Cl ..307/273, 307/265, 307/293,

328/63, 328/207 [571 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..'...H03k 3/10 A monostable vibrator cgnnected in a circuit, with a constant Field of Search 7, current source producing an output which is delayed from an 328/77, 55, 63 input pulse in time depending upon a control voltage. Variation in the control voltage linearally adjusts the time spacing between the input and output pulses.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures DELAYED TRIGGER OUTPUT TRIGGER INPUT PATENTEDMARZ] I972 /8 3 DELAYED TRIGGER OUTPUT RIO n TRIGGER INPUT PEG 2 I O b C d e I II\ 5 III -linC m E L s U m I- IT I: L m m L V V V V V V V V O O O 2 8 O O l l 8 F0. R R R O 0 TR TE T E T UF- UG Cl D 2 C 2 G PG E O E G N L C L l IR L A L UR T O 0 OT C C v INVLNIOR MICHAEL W. LUNDGREEN ATTORNEY VOLTAGE VARIABLE PULSE DELAY MONOSTABLE MULTIVIBRATOR This invention relates in general to a unique multivibrator circuit and, in particular, to a circuit which will produce an output pulse delayed in time linearly proportional to a variable control voltage source.

The present invention relates to a circuit in which a voltage indicative of various functions can be converted into a time delayed pulse.

A feature of this invention provides a monostable multivibrator capable of being triggered by a first pulse and which has a constant current supply connected to it and produces an output pulse after the input pulse delayed by a time proportional to a control voltage.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a very accurate. time delay circuit controlled by a variable voltage.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved monostable multivibrator with a variable switching time.

A feature of this invention is found in the provision for a monostable multivibrator connected in a circuit with a constant current source and controlled by a variable voltage source so as to produce an output signal which varies in time from an input signal in accordance with the output of the control source.

Further objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description and claims when read in view of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the variable delay monostable multivibrator of this invention; and,

FIGS. 2a-e illustrate wave shapes at various points in the circuit.

FIG. 1 illustrates a monostable multivibrator comprising a pair of transistors Q and Q The emitters 10 and 11 of transistors Q and Q are connected to ground. The bases 12 and 13 of transistors Q and Q are connected to ground through resistors R and R respectively. The collector 14 of transistor O is connected to the base 12 of transistor Q through resistor R and bypass condenser C The collector 16 of transistor Q is connected to the base 13 of Q through the timing capacitor C and the diode CR A positive input triggering pulse is periodically connected to terminal 17 and is supplied to the base 12 of transistor Q through resistor R and the diode CR,. A negative output pulse appears at terminal 18 which is coupled from the collector 14 of transistor Q through the differentiating circuit comprising capacitor C and, resistor R diode CR and resistor R Diode CR is connected in the signal path with cathode to the junction of capacitor C and resistor R and resistor R is connected between the anode of diode CR and ground. The other side of resistor R is connected to ground.

A biasing source E is connected through resistor R to the collector 14 of transistor Q A control potentiometer comprising resistor R and contact 19 is connected from E to ground. A resistor R is connected to contact 19 at one end and at the other end to collector 16 of transistor 0, and to the timing condenser C,.

A constant current source includes transistor 0;, in its circuit environment with collector 21 connected to the junction point between the condenser C and the diode CR and its emitter 22 connected through resistor R to E The base 23 of transistor 0 is connected to the junction point between resistors R and R The other side of resistor R is connected to E and the other side of resistor R is connected to ground. With E, substantially a constant regulated voltage supply the junction of resistors R and R applies a fixed voltage bias at the base 23 of transistor Q3. Further, with the base voltage held constant the voltage across resistor R is constant and, as a result, the emitter current is constant and the collector current is maintained at a substantially constant level, approximately 98 percent of the emitter current as a constant current source for the monostable multivibrator.

A transducer or other signal source as, for example, a radio distance measuring equipment 26 has output shaft 27 which is connected to the movable contact 19 to control the time delay between the input trigger applied to terminal 17 and the output trigger appearing at terminal 18.

Basically, the circuit is a monostable multivibrator with a constant current source from transistor Q which is used to linearly charge the timing capacitor C,. In the quiescent state, transistor 0 is biased off" and O is biased on." The collector current of Q is constant. When transistor 0; is triggered, its collector goes to ground potential thus applying a negative going step to capacitor C,. The magnitude of the negative step as seen on the anode of diode CR is equal to the quiescent voltage on the collector of transistor Q, less its saturation voltage. Before the circuit was triggered, the anode of diode CR was slightly above ground potential. When triggered, the potential of the anode of CR goes negative thus turning off transistor Q Transistor Q remains in the off state until capacitor C is charged up to an aboveground potential by the constant current source Q When transistor Q turns back on, a negative trigger is produced at the output of the circuit due to the action of the differentiator. The time delay between the input trigger and the output trigger is directly proportional to the voltage on the contact 19 of the potentiometer R since capacitor C, is subject to a linear charging characteristic with its constant current charging source.

This circuit can be used to replace phantastron and bootstrap sweep circuits in radar ranging circuitry and other similar applications. In one proposed DME (distance measuring equipment) application, the time delay generated by this multivibrator was plotted versus the voltage on the collector of transistor Q The results indicated that the linearity of the multivibrator was within 0.5 percent. The linearity of the time delay sweep approaches that of the phantastron and bootstrap circuits with the advantages that the monostable multivibrator is simpler in design and more stable with temperature variations.

In an actual circuit constructed, the following component values were used:

Resistors R, and R, 22,000 ohms R R R and R, l00,000 ohms R, 39,000 ohms R, 15,000 ohms R, 162,000 ohms R. 17,800 ohms R, 3,830 ohms R1: 2,000 ohms Capacitors C 0.02 microfarads 2 220 picofarads C picot'arads Transistors Q Q Type 2Nl7l 1 Q: Type 2N1 [32 Diodes CR CR, Type lN3064 CR, Type 1N458 n +20 volts FIGS. 2a-e illustrate wave shapes existing at various points in the circuit. FIG. 2a, for example, shows the positive input signal applied to terminal 17. FIG. 2b illustrates the voltage on the collector 16 of transistor 0,. FIG. 00 illustrates the voltage at the anode of diode CR FIG. 2d is a plot of voltage on collector 14 of transistor 0 and FIG. 2e shows the output pulse appearing at terminal 18. All curves are plots of voltage against time.

It is to be realized that the setting of contact 19 controls the spacing in time between the input and output pulses. A variable voltage source of any type could replace the resistor R and contact 19 to control the circuit.

It is seen that this invention provides a novel monostable multivibrator circuit and although it has been described with respect to preferred embodiments, it is not to be so limited as changes and modifications may be made as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A monostable multivibrator circuit capable of producing an output pulse delayed from an input pulse in a controlled manner comprising a monostable multivibrator, an input terminal connected to the monostable multivibrator for triggering the monostable multivibrator from its stable to its quasistable state upon a triggering signal being applied thereto, biasing circuit means for said multivibrator, said multivibrator including timing circuit means controlling the recovery time of the multivibrator, and said biasing circuit means connected to said multivibrator to vary the biasing potential on the multivibrator to control the recovery time, and a single constant current source connected to the timing circuit means of the multivibrator to provide constant current to the timing circuit with output pulse time delay a linear function of the biasing potential on the multivibrator from said biasing circuit means.

2. In apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the biasing circuit means consists of a potentiometer with a fixed biasing voltage connected thereto and has a movable contact for supplying a selectable voltage to the multivibrator.

3. In apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the multivibrator comprises a pair of transistors with their electrodes connected regeneratively and the timing circuit means includes a capacitor connected in circuit between one of the electrodes of one of the transistors and another electrode of the second transistor wherein the contact of the potentiometer is connected to the one electrode of the first transistor and to the capacitor of the timing circuit means, and an output function control means connected to the contact of the potentiometer to control its position. 

1. A monostable multivibrator circuit capable of producing an output pulse delayed from an input pulse in a controlled manner comprising a monostable multivibrator, an input terminal connected to the monostable multivibrator for triggering the monostable multivibrator from its stable to its quasi-stable state upon a triggering signal being applied thereto, biasing circuit means for said multivibrator, said multivibrator including timing circuit means controlling the recovery time of the multivibrator, and said biasing circuit means connected to said multivibrator to vary the biasing potential on the multivibrator to control the recovery time, and a single constant current source connected to the timing circuit means of the multivibrator to provide constant current to the timing circuit with output pulse time delay a linear function of the biasing potential on the multivibrator from said biasing circuit means.
 2. In apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the biasing circuit means consists of a potentiometer with a fixed biasing voltage connected thereto and has a movable contact for supplying a selectable voltage to the multivibrator.
 3. In apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the multivibrator comprises a pair of transistors with their electrodes connected regeneratively and the timing circuit means includes a capacitor connected in circuit between one of the electrodes of one of the transistors and another electrode of the second transistor wherein the contact of the potentiometer is connected to the one electrode of the first transistor and to the capacitor of the timing circuit means, and an output function control means connected to the contact of the potentiometer to control its position. 